Tadej Pogačar happy with 'small victory' over Jonas Vingegaard on Puy de Dôme
The Slovenian took eight seconds back on his Danish rival on stage nine of the Tour de France


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Jonas Vingegaard might still be in yellow at the Tour de France, but the vibe has shifted, with his great rival Tadej Pogačar seemingly resurgent. All appeared lost after the first day in the Pyrenees, but the gap between the pair now stands at just 18 seconds on the first rest day.
It is the duel that this Tour promised, and appears to be delivering, between Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma, the defending champion, and Pogačar, the greatest rider of his generation, and the man who won in 2020 and 2021.
Neither have ever raced the Tour and not finished on the podium, and they really do appear a level above all the other riders in the race, a race that still has 12 stages to come.
On stage nine, Pogačar attacked on the steepest part of the Puy de Dôme, managing to drop Vingegaard. It was not quite the decisive attack of the race, but it did mean a gap of eight seconds at the end, eight valuable seconds.
"It's not a victory but it is a small victory, so I'm super happy today," Pogačar said after the stage, atop the extinct volcano.
"It was a super nice day, quite relaxed until the last climb. I felt my legs immediately that it was good, but I was waiting just for the last 1.5km, just in case, but I had good legs."
The race therefore seems finely poised as it heads into its second week, with the pair vying for the lead. The hunter has become the hunted, although those roles might yet swap again once the race reaches the Alps.
"It was important, a stage maybe more convenient for Vingegaard," UAE Team Emirates’ principal Mauro Gianetti said. "At the end of the day, we took eight seconds. It's not so much but I think that each second is very important so it's important to get these seconds.
"I think it's a fantastic sport and we have two immense champions. It's simply what everybody expects. I hope and wish that we'll see this battle for the next weeks."
As for the Puy de Dôme, which had not been climbed by the Tour peloton in 35 years, Pogačar admitted to being apprehensive beforehand, but it worked out well in the end.
"I must say that I enjoyed it," he said. "I was a bit scared, the guys were telling me that it was so steep and so hard, but actually today we were flying uphill, so it didn't feel so steep."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Adam is Cycling Weekly’s senior news and feature writer – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing, speaking to people as varied as Demi Vollering to Philippe Gilbert. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
-
Snapped cranks, motorbikes and decade-old handlebars - breaking sprinting's oldest world record
Jeffrey Hoogland is going after the longest-standing record in track cycling
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Best fenders - mudguards - for gravel bikes 2023: top models we recommend
Want to extend the life of your components and ride in greater comfort? We’ve rounded up the best fenders / mudguards to protect both you and your gravel bike
By Stefan Abram Published
-
Mark Cavendish to postpone retirement and ride on with Astana Qazaqstan, reports
British sprinter reported to have reached agreement with current team to continue racing in 2024
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
In memoriam: Tadej Pogačar's white jersey domination
After 81 days in the young rider's jersey at Grand Tours, the Slovenian has grown up
By Adam Becket Published
-
'They race like juniors': How men's pro cycling is getting wilder and races refuse to slow down
Racing from the gun during a three week Grand Tour is a big ask for even the best and the strongest. Is this the new cycling?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Remco Evenepoel hopes to 'steal' Jonas Vingegaard's secrets at Vuelta a España as he looks to 2024 Tour de France
Belgian aiming for second Vuelta a España triumph over the next three weeks, but faces stiff opposition
By Tom Davidson Published
-
WorldTour teams have an extra three years to halve carbon emissions before losing license - UCI clarifies
A carbon emissions tracker has been introduced and it is mandatory for all stakeholders to use it
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
‘I really like city street racing’ - Tadej Pogačar on the ‘enjoyable’ World Championships road race course
Slovenian two-time Tour de France winner took bronze behind rainbow jersey winner Mathieu van der Poel
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'All of a sudden I was on the ground and my shoe was broken' - Mathieu van der Poel on World Championships win
Dutchman slipped out on a bend in closing stages and said that adrenaline kept him going on the way to the road world title
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Glasgow World Championships 2023: Eight riders to watch in the elite men's road race
Remco Evenepoel gets set to defend the title he won in Wollongong, Australia last year
By Tom Thewlis Published